J&K Transport Minister Abdul Gani Kohli, BJP’s lone face in the State Cabinet headed by Mufti Mohd Sayeed may face difficult times ahead as the State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) probing charges of encroachment of forest land has established that he has constructed huge educational complex on the forest land in Nowabad area of Sunjwan in Jammu.
The alliance Government’s war against corruption and especially evicting forest land owners from illegal encroachments is allegedly being stalled by officials of three key Departments headed by PDP and BJP Ministers apparently to bail out their Cabinet colleague.
Kohli won the mandate from Kalakote Assembly segment in Rajouri district after defeating sitting National Conference legislator Racchapl Singh.
The State Government faced piquant situation after the State Vigilance Organisaiton filed the status report in compliance with the directives passed by the High Court in petition titled Ankur Sharma versus State of J&K dated September 7, 2015.
“In his complaint the petitioner has alleged that Abdul Gani Kohli, Minister for Transport and MlA Kalakote has grabbed more than 10 kanals of forest land in Khasra No.356/min at Nowabad, Sunjwan and constructed a multi storey building complex where from he is running BEd/ETT College, Para-Medical Institute, BN School and ATM of J&K Bank”.
“During visual inspection of the building complex/institution, it was found that a number of educational institutions are being run in the building complex under probe,” said the report, adding “in addition to these institutions, it was found that a full-fledged branch of J&K Bank along with ATM is also located in the complex.”
“The enquiries conducted so far have established that the institutions are being owned and managed by the family members of Abdul Gani Kohli and the building complex has been raised on Khasra No.356 of village Nowabad, which according to the report of the Forest Department is forest land thereby substantiating the basic allegation,” the report said.
The premier investigating agency of the State has also pointed out non-cooperation from the authorities of Revenue and Health and Medical Education Departments on certain aspects relating to the huge complex.
“Further enquiry would be conducted to work out the violations being done by the owners, managements and officers and officials of the concerned departments, who have been involved in facilitating the establishment of such institutions on forest land in violation of the law,” the status report said.